We Bloom in the Moonlight
by KyuuketsuKomorine
Summary: Lucius is in China on trade business when he discovers the hidden treasure of the imperial palace: the secret prince locked away from the world under orders of the emperor. When he starts to fall for this secret beauty, could he possibly crumble the sound structure that holds the two nations together? RomeXChina AU Historical Fic. Human names used. M for later chapters. Read/review
1. Prologue

_We Bloom in the Moonlight _

**Pairing: Ancient Rome x China**

**Rating: T for now…**

**Human names are used. I tried to do my research, but if something is wrong, TELL ME. :3 I also used Google Translate for the Chinese... so it's probably off. x.x YES, there will be a lemon, later on. The idea for this is one that I got while I was half-asleep one night, and honestly, this pairing needs more love~ It's one of my favorites, and just soooooooo sweet! w This little prologue really has nothing specific to the basic idea I had, but I felt I needed to give a little starter for it. ^-^ And yes, I stole Rome's human name from KitakLaw. I liked it. =w= **

Lucius had been everywhere. There was hardly a place he HADN'T been. Some places he enjoyed more than others, and others he wasn't even welcome in. Those were the ones that were hardest to win over, but with a bit of time and his good looks, he managed fairly well.

As of now, he was in a place called China, a place he loved above all others. There was plenty of entertainment, things to do, people to see, and quite delicious food.

Night was falling in the village just as Lucius was arriving. The last of the children were returning to their homes for the night, and a few night animals had begun to come out. Various birdsongs rang through the crisp air, echoing out from their silhouetted trees that ran along the edge of the village, the darkness of the branches contrasting strongly against the deep orange sky.

After a long day of travel, his sore muscles couldn't take much more. He dropped his items in the dirt and plopped on the ground, leaning against a tree. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh, stretching his arms.

"Ah… nǐ shì shuí?" A light, feminine voice broke the silence from behind, and Lucius turned to see who it was.

There stood a petite young woman with light skin and dark hair tied up in a loose braid. She wore a brown robe held together with a red sash and a simple pair of sandals.

"O-oh, hello…" He quickly stood and picked up his things, facing her.

"Ah, a westerner…" She said quietly in quite a strong accent. She gave a soft smile and bowed. "I am Yuezheng Ling. And you are a traveler, I presume?"

"Si!" He nodded with a grin. "My name is Lucius Marius Aquila, emperor of Rome."

Her mouth opened a bit in surprise. "I see… welcome to Hyanguo village. Do you have a place to stay for the night?"

"No, not yet." He chuckled.

"Well, you're welcome to stay with my husband and I for as long as you need." She gave a soft grin.

"Ah, grazie!" He beamed and slung his bag over his shoulder, following her happily.

Once there, she slid the door open and invited him in. "Wo hui jiale, Longya!" She called, slipping her shoes off.

"Huanying huilai, qin'ai de." A smooth, deep voice resounded from the next room, and the man poked his head in.

Lucius kicked his sandals off as well, listening to them converse a bit in a tongue he didn't understand. The man then looked at him with a smile. "Welcome to our home; my name is Longya." He bowed. "We are honored to have you in our home, as the ruler of such a far-off land."

"Think nothing of it…" He chuckled, "I should be thanking you for your hospitality.

Longya and Lucius sat and made a bit of small talk, and Ling brought in a platter of tea. Lucius took a cup and sipped it slowly.

"So what business does an emperor have in our tiny village?" She asked curiously.

He gave a smile and set his cup down. "I'm simply passing through on my way to the capital. I'm meeting with the emperor about some trading issues."

"Impressive…" Longya smirked. "That should put our nations in better standing, right?"

"Si, it would." He nodded. "I hope to become great allies soon."

"That would be wonderful!" Ling cheered.

"Well, enough about me… tell me about yourself!" Lucius smiled.

"Longya is a fisherman," Ling commented. "And quite good at it. He makes plenty of money for us, and provides for the community as well."

"I bet you've even had some of my goods in your trade." Longya laughed.

"Perhaps." Lucius smirked, and gave a yawn. "Well, I better get some sleep… I've traveled all day, and have much business to attend to in the morning."

"Alright then, I'll show you to our extra bed." Ling stood and nodded. "Longya, dear, you should be going to bed soon too. It's getting late."

He nodded, and Ling showed Lucius to the guest room. It was small, but livable and cozy. "Grazie." He said with a smile, and she left.

He slipped into his white night robe and blew out the candle, settling into bed for the night, and fell fast asleep.


	2. Chapter 1

**Well, here it is, as promised, official chapter one of **_**We Bloom in the Moonlight**_**~! I hope you like it, I worked quite hard to get the ball rolling with this chapter, so I hope it's not too boring… x.x But at least we get a little sighting of how everything connects together (and our lead actress~ /shot so hard/) xD ANYWAY, enjoy~**

"Finally, I made it!" Lucius sighed, staring up at the massive palace before him. It laid on the eastern end of the capital city, adorned in beautiful scarlet with gold and jade ornaments, and several stories high. There were guards all along the perimeter, and two along the gate. They let Lucius enter without a word. "Must be expecting me~!" He smiled.

The large jade doors opened into a wide main hall, with stairs that led upwards to the other floors and many doors leading off into other rooms. Various statues lined the walls, of past rulers, Lucius guessed, along with beautiful paintings and tapestries. A few servants were busting about, seemingly too busy to do more than simply acknowledge the guest's presence, before moving on with their work.

On the far end of the hall was a long corridor, leading to the throne room of the emperor and his wife. Lucius followed it, hoping that the emperor was ready for his visit.

He knocked on the door confidently, and a few moments later, it swung open, revealing a lavish chamber with deep green curtains and golden engravings on the walls.

"Welcome, Lucius!" The emperor stood with arms wide. "I've been awaiting your arrival. Please take a seat." The emperor, Moke Wang, was an older man, probably in his late fifties, with dark hair fading to gray, and a small beard. Lucius had been writing back and forth with him for some time now.

"Have you been well, Moke?" He asked with a smile. "It's been a while since your last letter."

"Yes, things have been lovely here. The world has been quite peaceful for some time now." He nodded.

"Si, for the past few years, at least." He nodded. They both sat around a large marble table, an extravagant vase in the center filled with various flowers, along with a teapot and some small glasses.

They talked for hours upon hours, about subjects from trade, to citizens, and beyond. Later, the empress, Qingxian, joined them, bringing a few pastries with her. The meeting continued.

Eventually, they were met with one of the servants. "Um, your highness?… there's a problem in the _north_ wing…" The man put special emphasis on where the problem was.

"… I see." He nodded after a moment of silence. "Just a few moments, Lucius. I have to deal with something…"

"Understood. I'll be heading out soon anyway." He smiled. Moke nodded once with a smile, and hurried off into a different part of the palace.

Just as Lucius stood to leave, empress Qingxian stopped him, carrying a plate of the pastries from earlier with her. "Here, dear, you should take these with you." She smiled kindly and handed it to him.

"… grazie! How kind!" He grinned., taking the platter. "I'll be going now. Thank you for having me today, ma'am!" He bowed, as their custom, and was off.

He stayed in the city a bit longer, taking in all the scenery and grabbing a bite to eat, and was soon passing the palace once again on the way back to Hyanguo.

Or, rather, he _was_ on his way back to Hyanguo before something caught his ear.

"Is that… crying?" He asked himself, pausing to listen to the faint noise. Sure enough, it had to be.

He searched the surrounding area, finding nothing, so he followed the sound until it got a bit louder… He reached the farthest point he could get; a fence surrounded any further areas, but he was able to peer around the back corner of the building and scan the windows.

"No… no… no… wait, there!-" He whispered, trying to get a clearer view.

On the top floor of the palace lay a small, fenced balcony, from which he could see a small figure standing. Whoever it was appeared thin, with dark, flowing hair, and adorned in lavish red and golden silk robes. Their sobbing was quiet, but sounded anguished, wrought with sadness and anger. It nearly broke Lucius's heart to hear.

It also intrigued him… who was this crying beauty? It certainly wasn't a servant, dressed in the royal robes… so then, who? He was almost certain that no one else lived there, besides the emperor, his wife, and the servants…

He stood there for a moment, conflicted at the thought of calling out to the mysterious majesty, but soon decided against it. Shaking his head, he turned and headed back for the village.

He returned to the Yuezheng household just as the sun was setting, unable to get the image and sound of that person out of his head. "Welcome back, Lucius!" Ling grinned and came over to him. "How did the meeting go?"

"It went fine." He said bluntly, still concentrating on the image in his head. "Things are really starting to come together between our nations."

"That's wonderful!" Longya stated, and took a sip from his cup. "The emperor… is he kind, like everyone thinks?"

"Si!" He cheered. "He's a very nice man." Lucius kicked off his shoes and rested down in a small chair. "Though… have you heard of anything strange about the palace?…"

"… well, what do you mean?" Ling cocked her head to the side.

Lucius sighed. "Hmm… well, does anyone else live there? Besides emperor Moke and his wife?" The couple looked at each other, thinking.

"… no, I don't think so." Ling said slowly, her husband nodding.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because… there was… _someone. Crying, actually, near the back of the palace. But… I don't know who." He admitted. "I didn't say anything… but whoever it was, is quite… beautiful…" Lucius was truly captivated. He yearned to know more; to see them again, he just didn't know when or how…_

_The two exchanged glances yet again. "A young lady?…"_

_He sighed. "That's the thing, I have no idea… They could've been male for all I know." Ling gave a soft smile._

"_You seem somewhat torn up about this… unfocused, I mean." She advised quietly. "I think you should try to find this person again…"_

_Lucius was silent for a moment, then took a breath. "I… I think I will. Maybe you're right…" He nodded slightly, and gave a yawn. "I should try to get some sleep… I'll go back into the city tomorrow."_

_Ling smiled quietly and sipped her tea, watching Lucius disappear off in the back hall for the night. "Goodnight, dearie~"_


	3. Chapter 2

**Finally, I got this done… the procrastination on this was even worse than the last x.x Anyway, I pushed it out for you guys! ^-^ Also, listing to a long play list of traditional Chinese music always helps~ =w= I hope you enjoy this! :3**

The bright midday sun seemed to glare down upon Lucius, only making his migraine worsen. The thoughts of that mysterious person from the day before still weighed a heavy burden on his mind, and his sleep had been affected. He was too focused on his thoughts, or rather, trying to forget them. However, he couldn't seem to just let them go.

So, there he found himself, standing a distance away from the palace, trying to straighten out his mind. He knew that his need to meet this person, almost desperately, for the thoughts to leave him be, but he just wasn't sure how. Several scenarios had played out in his brain, but none of them seemed to be sensible, so, for the time being, he decided it would be best to go on into the palace. At least then he'd have a better chance of running into whoever he was looking for.

He waltzed rather confidently up to the gates, but suddenly went weak once inside, unsure of what he was even going to say.

"A-ah, Lucius?" A familiar voice called out; empress Qingxian on her way down the steps. She came forward with a smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I, uh… hope your husband isn't busy." He chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "I was hoping we could have another meeting…"

She giggled lightly. "Well, this certainly has come up suddenly. No, I don't think he has much going on today, so I can imagine he'd be delighted to see you again!" She lead him down the corridor to the throne room. "You know, Lucius, you should join us for dinner the evening!"

"That would be wonderful!" He nodded, and pushed open the large, decorated door.

"Moke~! You have a recurring visitor!" She called, and the emperor gave a small smile.

"Welcome back!" He stood, shaking hands with his guest. "What can we do for you today?"

"Well, Qingxian has invited me to dinner, and I also wanted to have a little chat with you! You know, to get to know each other better." Lucius put on a believable smile.

"That sounds great." He grinned, and took a seat around the same table as the day before.

Lucius had a bit of trouble getting a conversation started, but once he did, the ball was rolling, and he was spitting out questions and answers left and right. He still did not forget about his purpose for coming, which preoccupied his mind for most of the time.

Despite his distracted thoughts, time had flown by. The sun had already started to set when Qingxian returned, calling them to dinner.

They moved to the dining hall just as the final plates were being brought out. Lucius eyed the food hungrily; he had nearly forgotten that he had skipped lunch! He thanked them once again, and began to eat his fill.

After dinner, Lucius found himself running out of time. He was afraid that he would have to leave without discovering anything. Thankfully, Moke told him that he could stay in the palace for the night, and left him his friend to roam the grounds.

Lucius wandered around for a bit, passing servants and maids, and other workers. He checked a few rooms, such as a study, filled with books and scrolls, empty rooms with beds, storage, and even a room with quite a few statues and shrine-like things.  
He decided to check out the upper floor as well, climbing the stairs. There wasn't much up there than the same layout he found on the floor below.

He soon began to lose hope, almost convinced he had hallucinated the whole scene from the day before. He leaned back against the wall with a sigh and thought about what to do next; whether or not to give up.

A sudden flash of dark hair from down the hall easily broke his concentration. Someone had been peering around that corner! He followed his impulse, and walked down the hallway, quickly turning the corner.

There they stood, long dark hair and slim body clad in royal dress, turned away from him. Hands were clasped together near their chest, and head lowered, looking very distressed.

"H-hello?…" Lucius called, and the person turned suddenly, a worried look in their eyes. The other quickly scanned Lucius, and threw a hand over his mouth, dragging him into the closest room available. "W-what the-?!"

"Shh!" A finger was placed at Lucius's lips, and the other peeked out the door, making sure they were alone. "Mò'āi!" They whispered harshly, and turned to get a better look at this stranger.

"A... a foreigner…" They said, staring. "Who are you?..."

"My name is Lucius Marius Aquila…" He whispered back. "Why are you hidden here?"

"Because... I don't want to be caught... out of my room." The other frowned. The accent was quiet heavy, but still understandable.

"Why would you not be allowed out? Don't you live here? In the palace, I mean."

"Well, I'm actually... the prince. But no one's supposed to know that apparently..." He scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Prince? But.. You look so much like a girl…" He blinked in surprise. He hadn't even meant to say the words. He was honestly quite surprised, and a bit embarrassed, that the beautiful person he'd been thinking about for the past day turned out to be a guy.

"N-no I don't!..." He frowned, blushing a bit, and crossing his arms. Indeed, he somewhat did, though. His hair was long and dark, flowing past his shoulder blades, and he had quite the slim figure. His face was bright and eyes beautiful golden. His skin was such a lovely shade of pale cream, and looked so very soft to the touch.

"Eh, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to offend you." He scratched the back of his head. "But if you're the prince, why isn't anyone supposed to know?"

"Well... it's what my father wants." He sighed. "Apparently... before I was born, he had another son... that was assassinated by rebels. He wants to protect me, he says..."

"So what! Assassins are after me all the time! It's part of the adventure~!" Lucius exclaimed. He plopped down and thought a moment. "Have you thought of wearing some sort of disguise?"

"Like what?" He chuckled, listening intently now.

"Eh, if you did that stuff like the ladies on the street you'd look like someone else entirely!~ And then you could travel anywhere and wouldn't be caught~!"

"That's true." He laughed. "But... I'd be punished if I was caught out of my room..."

"What if someone was left behind that looked like you?" He pushed, spitting out idea after idea. "Or what if no one saw you leave?"

"The room gets checked every two hours..." He sighed. "I should be getting back there anyway." He stood and turned, waving goodbye. "Zàijiàn, kind stranger." He smiled.

"Wait, that can't just be all! You can't just be OKAY with this!~ You've gotta do something about it!~ And I'm just the guy to help." He grinned. "I'll be here tomorrow night, can you meet me?"

"No... but you can meet me in the one place that I'm safe to roam at night." He smirked. "Just listen for the signal, you'll know it when you hear it. Follow it, and you'll find me." And with that, he was gone down the hall.

He stared after the other, blinking. 'Finally,' he thought, 'I found him… he really is quite beautiful.'A small blush spread across his face, and he shook his head. 'Oh well… I must sleep now.' He made his way through the palace's lower floor, to his guest room. A new adventure was JUST what he had hoped for, and now he had one.


	4. Chapter 3

**Whoa. Long chapter ahead. :3 Okay, so from this point on, all dialog between Lucius and Yao was actually from a roleplay between :icon: and I. ^-^ She was Lucius and I was Yao. Also, this was so freaking fun to write. I get so excited whenever I do anything with my OTP~! I also have a little thought of turning this into some sort of visual novel… does anyone think that sounds cool? OwO Anyway, this took forever, so I hope you enjoy it~! x3**

Lucius quickly woke the next morning, unable to sleep much the night before. He was far too excited to meet with his new friend that evening to think of much else.

After getting a bite to eat, he made his way to the outskirts of the capital, to find Ling and Longya and tell them that he had been right.

"Y-you're kidding!" Longya's jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

"Not at all~!" He grinned. "There really is a prince! Though, I don't know his name yet… And he's absolutely… I can't even think of a word to describe it..."

Ling propped her head in her hand and gave a small grin. "He's that _gorgeous_, eh~?" She giggled and clasped her hands together. "This is so exciting!"

"It is…" Lucius smiled softly and his cheeks reddened a bit. "I'm going back to meet him tonight."

"Well, I'd be careful." Longya pointed out. "From the sound of it, emperor Moke doesn't want anyone to know him. Don't go and get caught now!"

"Yes, be careful, but have fun!" Ling nodded.

"Trust me, I will~!" He laughed. "Just promise me you won't tell anyone else about him."

"Oh, we won't, trust me!" She grinned. "I wouldn't want to ruin your new friendship!"

"Thank you." He smiled, and gave a pleased sigh.

Yao sat in wait for the moon to rise high in the sky, and once it did, he was off. He climbed down from his balcony as he did so often. Right below his room was his personal favorite (and only) place to go: the garden, on the banks of the river. He sat below the fruitful peach tree and looked up at the stars. After a few moments, he pulled something out of his hanfu- a bamboo flute- and began to play it, hoping that Lucius would take the hint.

Lucius sighed, watching the sky intently. He stood outside of the palace, but just at a distance to not seem suspicious. He perked up a bit; hearing some music on the wind. "That's gotta be it~!" He thought happily. He started making his way to the sound, nearly mesmerized by it.

Yao soon saw Lucius in the distance, and put his flute away, smiling. He stood and took a few steps forward. "So you figured it out?"

"I had hoped my gut was right, but it could have been telling me to eat some pasta... But si, here I am~!"

Yao chuckled and smiled. "You're quite silly, Lucius..."

"Eh, I'd rather not be so serious about life unless it's required... I think smiling and laughing and dancing and singing and food and pretty girls are something in life that everyone should have~! Not being so serious all the time."

"That's a... different... outlook, but a good one." He smiled. "Opposite of what we nobles are taught..." He shook the thought away and looked back at him. "So explain yourself, westerner. Why are you here in the palace? What business do you have in my nation?"

"I'm just visiting. I go around everywhere, you see, and this is one of my favorite places to be. The atmosphere just makes me happy~" He smiled slightly. What he'd said was true, and he thought of his traveling companion. He was a very serious, uptight person, always wanting to leave early.

"Ah, I see. It is a lovely land..." He nodded. "But... you must be of some importance. My father doesn't go around letting commoners stay here..."

"I'm the emperor of Rome. Your father and I do business sometimes, and he's given me a place to stay for a while as long as my imports keep coming in."

"Oh! My father has spoken of your business every once in a while." He smiled.

"He has, eh? Guess that means I've done pretty well~" He chuckled.

"From what I've heard, Rome is pretty big and important. My father was speaking of possibly forming a pact between the nations... apparently you could rule the world together..." He smiled.

"That'd be great~!~" He exclaimed, smiling. This adventure was getting better and better.

Yao laughed, reaching up to the tree and plucking off a peach. "Would you like one?"

"Sure. Grazie~!" He took the peach and nibbled a bite. His eyes widened and he laughed. "This is good~! Better than the peaches I normally have..." He took a slightly bigger bite.

Yao chuckled and nibbled a bit on his peach with a smile. "It's quite beautiful out tonight..." He said. "A little chilly though."

"Kinda... But I like it." He smiled and finished the peach.

"Well..." He sighed, taking a seat under the tree again. "What now?"

"Well, we've gotta figure out how to get you out of here~!" He said, plopping down beside him.

"As much as I'd like that, eventually I will have to take over father's place... so I can't just up and leave."

"What if someone took over for you to take over for him?"

"It's not that simple..." He smiled softly. "As much as I don't want to be locked up, I still want to fulfill my destiny as emperor someday."

"What if you just went for a little while?" He asked. He was thinking frantically.

"All I want is to be able to roam free like my parents and everyone else in this damn country... but instead I have to stay in my tiny little room, being waited on all the time."

"Why not compromise somehow? What if... What if I became your guard? And your parents agreed?"

"Hmm... that... might actually work!" He smiled.

"It's worth a shot!" Yao cheered.

"When should we propose the idea?"

"I suppose soon... but... wait, no one is supposed to know about me! Even some of the servants are left out of the loop... he'll probably punish me if he knows you found me." He sighed sadly.

""Then... What if I approach him as just me? Meaning, what if I become a royal guard for him and convince him somehow to guard YOU?"

"... maybe. I suppose then it would be okay." He smiled.

Lucius smiled back and thought a moment. "The only thing I can think of that's wrong with this plan is that I'm sailing home tomorrow."

Yao felt his heart drop a bit. "B-but... can't you stay for a bit longer?" He bit his lip in sadness. "You're the only person that I've ever thought of as a friend; even in the short time we've known each other... I don't want to be alone again..."

"I mean, I'll be coming back... I just have to get something and talk to someone. Though, I guess I could just write to her... I'll try and stay okay?" He smiled brightly.

"Really?" His face lit up. "Thank you so much!" He reached up and hugged Lucius around the neck in happiness.

The older man blinked a bit before laughing and hugging him back. "No problem~"

Yao pulled away and frowned. "I should be getting back to my room now... but I really don't want to go."

"Then don't. Stay here and talk with me. Please?"

He thought for a moment. "... I guess I can..."

"Thank you~!" Lucius gave him another tight squeeze and laid back, looking up at the stars. "Can you tell me some stuff about you?"

"Well... I don't believe I told you my name yet actually." He laughed. "So I'll start with that! I am Yao Wang, son of Moke and Qingxian, and I am 17 years old. My late older brother's name was Zhiyu. ... I honestly don't know about many things that I like... seeing as I haven't experienced much, but one thing I do love is my caretaker's warm cherry cakes." He smiled childishly, and went on. "I've also played both the bamboo flute that you heard earlier and the erhu ever since I was a child... I think that's enough for now." He smiled.

"Well, my name is Lucius, I'm turning 31 soon, and I'm the current emperor of the Rome. I have a best friend from Germania and another from Britton. The one from Britton does magic, and it's very fun to watch! I love seeing her work... My best friend from Germania is kind of angry looking but he's not a bad guy. He listens to my bullcrap and makes me laugh... I don't have any family currently, but I'd love to have someone, at least have a son I could pass on my kingdom to..."

"He sounds quite nice." Yao laughed. "I have a question, actually... what is it like to run a whole nation? To be honest, I'm a little afraid of my future..."

"It can be hard... I mean, knowing that people depend on you can be stressful. But I wouldn't give it up for anything in the world."

"... that's comforting." He smiled, and leaned back against the tree again.

He stayed silent for a moment and sighed happily. A slight breeze ruffled his chestnut brown hair and he loved the cool feeling.

The breeze flowed through his hair as well, making it flutter a bit. He decided to pull it out of its loose ponytail and let it fall freely past his shoulders.

He glanced at this out of the corner of his eye, and for some odd reason it made him smile goofily.

"What?..." He noticed him smiling like that and grinned. "You like my hair?"

"I was just, um… Well… I uh…" He stuttered, feeling like an idiot as he smiled like one.

Yao chuckled and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath peacefully.

"It is beautiful here..." He said absently.

Yao stood and held a hand out to Lucius. "Come with me..."

"Okay~!" He grasped his hand and smiled. "Where are we going?"

"Not too far..." He chuckled, and led him down a path through the large garden, past the peony and plum blossom trees and patches on the ground blooming with various flowers such as chrysanthemums, camellias, and gardenias. The path led to a small stony area just outside of a bamboo forest, from which the stalks were abundant.

The path led into this forest, and they followed it for a short while before coming to the furthest reaches of the garden, on the bank of the Yangtze River.

"This is my favorite part of the garden..." Yao said quietly. "I'm the only one who comes here." He kneeled down at the water's edge and ran his fingers across the surface, sending ripples through the grove of water lilies that sprouted up around them.

"Wow... This place is beautiful... What are these?" He asked, pointing to a green plant with large red blossoms.

"We call them '_méiguī_'... Chinese roses." He smiled. "They're quite beautiful..."

"They are..." He smiled, sniffing one slightly. "And these?"

"_Lánhuā_..." He said. "An orchid."

"Orchids..." He repeated. "It sounds pretty..."

"I've always loved their purple-pink petals and their sweet fragrance..." He plucked one and smelled it lightly.

"They are beautiful... He said. "Ooh, this is my favorite. Moon flower... They only bloom at night."

"It is my favorite as well... I use it to pay my respects to Chang'e, goddess of the moon, every few days..." He plucked one and kneeled before the riverbank, closing his eyes. "_Nín de yàoyǎn de guāng, wǒ hé zhùfú wǒ jīnhòu de gōngzuò zhōng, ào nǚshén Cháng'é_...** (1)**"He prayed quietly, and set the flower down in the water gently, letting it flow downstream.

He simply blinked and sat down, watching the flower float. "I'd pray, but honestly right now I don't have anything I need or want changed."

"I don't only pray when I need something..." He admitted. "Don't you ever think that the gods need cheering up? They have feelings too... or at least, that's what I think." He smiled. "I respect them so they will bless me when I do need them."

"Huh... maybe. I mean, I respect my gods and goddesses enough to pray to them to protect us so that we may serve them longer, but... Eh."

Yao chuckled. "I think it's just a Chinese thing..."

"Maybe." He laughed and yawned.

"Speaking of the moon... take a look at it. Have you ever heard about the Jade Bunny on it?"

"No, what is it?"

"It's an old story that we tell our children... Long ago, when an old man begged for food, the monkey took all the fruit from the trees and the otter collected fish, while the jackal took the meat from the land.

"The rabbit felt sorry for the man, because he only knew how to collect grass, so he offered up his own body, throwing himself into the fire. He did not burn though, and the man revealed himself to be the god of good deeds. He was so touched by the rabbit's kindness that he drew the likeness of the rabbit on the moon for all to see.

"It is said the lunar image is still draped in the smoke that rose when the rabbit cast itself into the fire." He looked up at the moon in the sky. "If you look closely, you can see its shape..."

He looked up and studied it closely. "That's beautiful." He commented, and sighed. It was proving to be the best adventure yet.

"It is..." He smiled, looking up at Lucius longingly.

He continued staring at the sky for some time, then glanced over. "What?" He asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Oh nothing~" He grinned, looking back down at the reflections on the water to hide his blush. He didn't want to admit it, but he was definitely falling for this man _hard_.

"Mhmm, suuuure. C'mon, tell me~! What is it?"

"It's nothing, I said..." He chuckled at the tone in Lucius's voice.

"Liar~" He reached over, gently gripping the younger's chin and making him look up slightly.

"L-let go..." He blushed and shook him away.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong~!"

"No..." He frowned, blushing.

"Please?"

"It's nothing, I swear!" He laughed.

"Fine... If you won't tell me, then I'll make you~!" He reached over and ran his fingers over Yao's slim sides, ticking him.

"Ahaha, s-stop it!..." He squirmed, laughing like crazy. "He swatted Lucius's hand away and struggled out of his grip, gasping for air with a grin.

"Sooooo? C'mon, tell me? Please?"

"B-but... it's just that... I can't..." He stuttered, stumbling over thoughts.

"Please?" He made his hazel eyes seem bigger and puppy like.

"_Ó, shàngdì_... um..." He blushed. "I just... y-you're very... _xīyǐn lì_... And I... I think I... _wǒ wèi nǐ xiàjiàng_. I'm... falling for you." **(2)**

"Whoa, what?... Slow down and speak up, I'm too old to be hearing something that soft~" He chuckled, thinking it was a joke.

"I... I think I'm falling for you, Lucius..." He admitted, looking at the ground.

"..." He was silent.

"Ah... I'm... v-very sorry..." He stepped away and faced the water again, looking down.

"Don't be~! It just surprised me, that's all."

"R-really...?" Yao looked back at him, surprised.

"Of course~"

"B-but... I shouldn't be!" He said. "I'm just a young boy compared to you! My father would have my head on a jade pedestal if he found out!"

"Then don't tell him. I mean, if you don't, I won't."

"Well... it's not just that... I mean... I have morals, you know..." It was quite obvious that Yao was having a crazy internal struggle over it.

"As do I. If you don't want to, then don't. It's all up to you." Lucius gave a sweet, reassuring smile.

"I... c-can't help it... I… I want to, but…" He sighed, and lowered his head.

"Don't be so upset by it, it's not like we don't have forever to decide."

"I suppose you're right..." He gave a soft smile. "But... do _you_ want to?..."

"I'd love to~!" He smiled cherrily.

"I see..." He gave a quiet chuckle and blushed lightly. "Well... that makes me feel a bit better about it."

"C'mere." He said softly, smiling in that way of his that he was sure melted the hearts of everyone.

"O-okay..." He blushed and stepped forward.

He placed a moon flower he had picked behind the other's ear. "Even more beautiful than your goddess of the moon..."

"T-thank you, Lucius..." He smiled gracefully, taking one of his hands gently. It didn't feel like a hand of a noble. It felt like one meant to bear a blade, calloused and worn with bronze skin, compared to his; porcelain and delicate-looking, like a sheet of papyrus and ready to tear at the slightest touch.

He stared down at the hand holding his own and felt his heart skip a beat. The moon was full, and the glow of it made the smaller man's skin glow in an eerie yet beautiful way. He noted how his eyes shone slightly, and the hue of pink-now-gray-blush on his cheeks. To put it simply, he looked delicate, and now he wanted nothing more than to protect that delicateness.

Yao wasn't sure what to do... he had never experienced this kind of romantic-stuff before. He simply looked at the ground, grinning and blushing like an idiot. While never letting go of that hand, mind you.

He sighed a bit. Not in a spiteful way, rather a contented way.

"L-Lucius... thank you. Again." He smiled up at him, golden eyes reflecting the moon's light beautifully.

"For what?" He smiled back and tilted his head, showing his confusion.

"Being so kind to me when no one else has..." He admitted; nothing but love and admiration in his eyes.

"Of course~!" He chuckled and ran a thumb over the other's cheek.

Yao gave a quiet giggle and averted his eyes, blushing. He loved the feel of the worn hands on his skin.

He smiled and leaned forward so that he was nose-to-nose with the other, just staring into his eyes.

Yao's cheeks were stained pink, and his breath was slow, trying to hold this moment in place. He gazed back up at Lucius with a soft smile.

He smiled back, resisting the urge to run his fingers through the other's hair.

Yao took the other's hand in both hands once more, running his fingers over the skin gently. He pressed it to his own lips softly, closing his eyes.

Lucius blushed slightly, something he wasn't exactly used to. He blinked.

Yao looked back up at him with a quiet giggle and stepped back a bit, blushing.

"You wanna do something fun? Something really, _really_ fun~?"

"Like... what?..." He asked slowly, thinking.

"I can't say, but you've got to trust me."

"...well, I think I'd like to know what I'm about to do before I do it..." He said, chuckling.

"Oh, c'mon. It's nothing dangerous, and I can have you back here before anyone knows you're gone~!"

He sighed with a smile. "Oh... Okay, I guess a little fun wouldn't hurt." He admitted, a bit nervous. They were going out of his perimeter? He'd never gone that far before...

"C'mon~!" He grabbed his hand and began walking. He crept around corners cautiously and slipped out of the wall. "It's not too far from here." He said in a hushed whisper.

Yao stayed silent; a smile plastered on his face, as he crept around behind Lucius, holding his scarlet and golden hanfu up with his free hand so it didn't catch on anything.

The two soon came to a beach with soft sand and warm water. The waves were rolling gently back and forth, the sound actually quite pleasant. A large ship remained roped to a dock, where it loomed ominously.

"I-is this... your ship?!" He asked, remembering him saying something about sailing.

"Mhmm. It's my favorite one, given to me by someone I was very close to." He smiled proudly.

"It's quite impressive..." He said, examining the complex framework.

"Si, it is. The inside is even better~!"

"May I... see it?" He asked, excited.

"Of course, that's what we're here for~! C'mon, I'll show you how to get aboard."

Yao followed closely behind, matching his footsteps so he didn't slip.

"Okay, grab this rope here and climb. When you get to the deck, go into the second door you see." After he said this he swung onto the ship easily.

Yao struggled to climb up it, seeing as he had virtually no upper body strength, but he made it eventually when he used his feet. He found the second door and went in.

Lucius was sitting at his desk, shuffling a few papers and shoving them into a drawer. A soft lamplight cast a glow against him, making his bronze skin glow more.

"What are you doing?..." He asked, walking over and placing a hand on his shoulder lovingly.

"Just putting some papers away~!"

"I see... It's quite... dark in here..." He said, glancing at the small lamp on the table.

"Yeah, but I can't find the oil for the other lamps... It looks brighter on the deck, so we can move up there if you want."

"Only if the papers aren't important." He smiled.

"They're not, just some papers." He said. He got up from the chair and walked above to the deck.

Yao followed him closely. "I quite like your ship..." He grinned.

"Thanks~ It's pretty nice, but... Sometimes I swear it's like things randomly come up missing from my quarters… Like they've been stolen or something! Like... A ghost or something took them."

Yao paused, suddenly worried. "You think it could be...?"

"Not likely. I just hate the thought of my crew stealing things from me. They know what the consequences are for that~!"

"... and the consequences are...?" He asked, curious.

"Either death or overboard~"

"T-that's quite... cruel..." His eyes widened. "I hate it when my father puts citizens to death... most of the time they don't deserve to be punished."

"It's not that I'm a cruel man... But I work hard for the things I obtain and I'd rather _not_ have anyone stealing from me."

"Well, that's true... and I suppose there's no jail on a ship..." He laughed quietly.

He chuckled and walked over to the rope that was tethered to the deck. With a swing of his scabbard, he cut the rope and the ship began sailing forward.

"W-where are we going?!" He asked, surprised.

"Just around. We won't leave the province, I swear." He smiled and closed the sail so that they were just drifting.

"O-okay..." He nodded, somewhat unsure. He stood on the edge of the deck and placed a hand on the rail, feeling the wind through his hair.

He plopped down on the deck and pulled out his guitar, strumming and singing ever so softly in Latin. The tune was soft and semi-romantic, with hidden undertones of melancholy.

"That's so calming..." He said quietly, and sat beside him.

"Thanks~ It's a tune I used to play a long time ago... I thought I had forgotten it, but..."

"Well... it gives me a warm feeling..." He sighed, smiling, and leaned on Lucius's shoulder.

He smiled and continued playing. At some point the melody switched to something a bit more... sad, he supposed. It reminded him of his home, but for whatever reason, he didn't want to go back.

Yao closed his eyes, and was sucked into the music. The lost melody almost spoke to him, and it made his emotions start to swirl. A lone tear crawled its way down his cheek, without him even noticing.

Lucius stopped playing and glanced over. He wiped the tear away gently. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah..." He said, voice cracking a bit. "The music... it just..." He gave a soft smile, wiping his eyes.

"That's a good sign… It means that I know how to play, and _you_ know how to listen~" He chuckled.

Yao laughed quietly, and leaned his head back on his shoulder again.

Lucius started playing once more; a softer bit of music.

He let out a sigh, and closed his eyes once again, starting to drift off.

After a few relaxing moments, he put the guitar away and turned slightly so that he could look at the other, nothing but pure love in his eyes.

Yao's eyes fluttered open again, and he blushed. "S-sorry, I... got sleepy..."

"It's fine. You look adorable any way."

He gave a small grin and sighed. "It's quite late..."

"Yeah, we better be getting back..."

"I don't wanna be caught..." He laughed, standing.

"That would be bad~!" He chuckled as well, smiling.

"Let's go then..." He took Lucius's hand and they quickly made their way back to the palace; to the garden once again, right below Yao's prison of a room.

"I guess I have to say goodnight and goodbye, now, huh?" He regretted it; He didn't want to say either. He knew he'd get to see him again, but he didn't want to leave.

"I suppose so..." He frowned, his heart hurting a bit. "I don't want you to go..."

"But I know I have to..." He thought. "I know! Tomorrow, try and be on the balcony. I'll send something to you."

He smiled, a thought suddenly coming to him. "You like taking risks, right?..."

"Si~!"

"Well, it's a big one... but, I think, if you can leave before sunrise, you can stay tonight..." He grinned. "We still have a few hours left..."

"Okay~!" He exclaimed.

"Great!" He smiled brightly. "Now follow me..." He took Lucius's hand, leading him through the corridor and to the stairwell that lead right to his room. "All of the servants are asleep at the moment, except for the guards, which reside on the watchtower, but my balcony is their only blind spot, which is lucky for me..." He whispered, leading him in through the door.

He nodded and crept silently after him, careful to be silent.

Yao shut the door quietly. "Okay, we can talk now, but we still must be careful..."

"Okay. This place looks beautiful though, even if it is a prison..." Lucius glanced around the room.

"It's not really a prison..." He smiled. "It is my room, but it's like a prison in my memories..."

"It seems like a prison to me if you can't leave."

"That's true..." He sighed, and stepped out on the balcony.

He followed and slipped his arms under the other's and held onto his waist.

Yao leaned back against Lucius's chest with a smile, closing his eyes.

He snuggled into him and whispered, "Ti amo."

"... w-what?..." He asked. He had a feeling he knew what it translated to, but he wasn't sure...

"I love you."

"A-ah... w-wo ai ni..." He blushed, looking up at him.

He smiled and placed a small kiss on his lips, gently as he could.

Yao blushed brightly and returned the kiss lightly, but pulled away after a moment, a bit overwhelmed by emotions.

"You okay?"

"Y-yes..." He said, pausing, with a smile, looking up at him. "I'm just so... happy..." His eyes welled up a bit, and he wrapped his arms around his neck, pulling him down in another kiss.

He smiled and blushed a bit, wanting to deepen the kiss but not scare him.

He pulled away once again with a smile, oblivious to anything more, and snuggled into his neck.

"Ti amo. Don't forget that okay?"

"Never..." He grinned, kissing his cheek.

He chuckled and kissed his cheek as well. "I just wish I could delay dawn if only for a moment. Just to be with you for a moment longer."

"If dawn could be stopped, I'd have done it ages ago... I flourish in the shadows of night... it's the only time I have to live..." He gazed into his eyes longingly. "Even more so with you."

"If there was anything I would to pray to the gods for, it would be to spend every living moment I have with you."

"Then shall Chang'e take my earlier prayer as a request for our future to be bright." He smiled.

"If I had something to cheer us with, I'd toast us."

"I don't have anything..." He frowned. "It would be nice though."

"Well, cheers to us anyway~!" Lucius chucked and took his hand.

Yao laughed quietly and kissed him lightly once more before holding him close.

He sighed happily and snuggled into him, nuzzling his neck.

"I'm afraid to look at the sky..." He muttered, face buried against Lucius shoulder. "I'm terrified to see the sun's orange rays penetrating the horizon..." He held him tighter, wanting to freeze time more than ever.

"Then don't. Just look at me; as long as you see me, you have nothing to worry about."

"Still, you can't stay forever..." He sighed. "The sun will come up... and eventually, you'll have to return to your land..."

"But you should know that I'll come back no matter what. I'll never truly leave you alone."

"I trust that you won't..." He said quietly.

"Oh no..." The sun was rising on the horizon, and he felt panicked suddenly.

"Dammit... dammit!" He hissed, a tear forming. "This just can't be!"

"It'll be okay. I will be back before you know it." He ran his fingers over Yao's cheek and smiled.

"Tonight... come back tonight. Please..."

"I will. And don't forget, be on the balcony today. Please! Don't forget…"

"Okay... as the moon is rising. I'll be here." He smiled sadly.

"Okay. Addio, my love~!" With that he began climbing down the balcony.

"_Zàijiàn le_, Lucius..." He called, peering over the balcony at him.

He waved and walked away, staring at his feet somewhat sadly.

Yao turned and brought a hand to his face, wiping a tear. "I love you, Lucius..." He whispered, and treaded back into his room without a word.

**Extended Chinese Translations:**

**(1)- "Nín de yàoyǎn de guāng, wǒ hé zhùfú wǒ jīnhòu de gōngzuò zhōng, ào nǚshén Cháng'é..." = 'Shine your light down on me and bless my future, O goddess Chang'e...'**

**(2)- "Ó, shàngdì" = 'Oh, god' / "xīyǐn lì" = 'attractive' / "wǒ wèi nǐ xiàjiàng" = 'I'm falling for you.'**


	5. Chapter 4

**Another long chapter, yay~! :D I had a it of trouble with this one, but I tried to get it done best I could. Excuse any parts that might seem very simple or rushed x.x School is starting to take a toll on me already, I'm such a failure D: But I'll still try to push out updates for you guys as fast as I can, but they might be slower than normal… ;w; Enjoy!**

Yao lay restless in his bed, unable to sleep from the night before. He was flustered, to say the least; somewhat sad when he was alone, but it couldn't hold a flame to his overjoyed sensation of simply his thoughts.

The sun finally had risen above the horizon and was peaking through the trees, and it wasn't long before his personal caretaker, Zanjie, had come to check on him. "Good morning. I brought some tea, your highness."

"Xiexie, Zanjie..." He took a cup and sipped on it lightly. He was tired to no end.

"Are you okay, your highness?... You seem a bit worn down..." She asked, worried.

"I'm fine, thank you. I just couldn't sleep..."

"Ah, my apologies then. I'll be back later to check on you. For now, you should rest." She smiled, and left.

He liked Zanjie enough, for she was kind and caring, but she was pretty much only doing her job. Yao sighed and lay back, closing his eyes. He had to be rested up for tonight.

The next time Zanjie came to check on him, he was fast asleep and without dreams.

"Dios, this isn't fair..." He thought as he walked through the streets that day. He couldn't sleep, even if he wanted to.

"Boss? You okay?" One of his female shipmates asked him, and he nodded.

"I'm fine, just tired."

"If you need anything, let me know." She walked away. He sighed and sipped the coffee that was handed to him.

He slept all day, and into the evening. By the time his eyes fluttered open, the sky was a pinkish-orange. "... Lucius will be coming soon." He muttered to himself with a smile. He noted that Zanjie had left a platter of cherry cakes for him, and he grinned, wanting to share them with his love. He set the platter on the table and stepped out on the balcony. He'd wait as long as he needed to for whatever it was that he was promised.

A 2 note whistle caught the breeze and soon after a small brown package sailed through the air. It landed on the balcony with a small thud, and Lucius waited for the surprised cry he hoped it would invoke.

"E-eh?!" He was surprised by the sudden flying object that caught his eye. He slowly bent down and opened the box, which was followed by a rather joyous "Uwaaahh!" He smiled wide, lifting the pearl necklace and examining its shine closely.

"You like it?" He whispered up to him, smiling.

"I LOVE IT!" He whispered down to him, blushing bright pink. "Get up here now, I wanna hug you!"

"Okay, okay, I'm on my way~" He laughed and started climbing up.

Once Lucius made it, he quickly threw his arms around him with an excited laughter and planted kisses on his cheeks. "Xiexie, oh, thank you thank you thank you! It's beautiful!"

"I'm glad you liked it... I made it myself some time ago, but had no one to give it to..."

Yao handed it to him. "Put it on me?..." He asked, and he turned around, moving his hair out of the way.

He smiled and did the clasp around him. The necklace fit perfectly, hanging just below his collar bones.

Yao looked down at the beautiful necklace and smiled. "Thank you... so much." He said quietly, and kissed him gently.

He kissed him back, wrapping his arms around his waist so that he was pressed up against his chest.

Yao pulled his lips away, but still held him close, nuzzling into his chest with a pleased sigh.

"Something smells good~" He commented, sniffing the air appreciatively.

"Oh! Zanjie brought me a snack while I was sleeping earlier!" He remembered, and trotted over to the table, picking up the platter. "Remember those cherry cakes I told you about?~" He gave a little grin.

"Si!~ They smell great..." He swallowed hard to keep from drooling. If there was one thing that he loved more than Yao, it was food.

Yao laughed and held the plate out. "Try one."

He chuckled and took one, nibbling it.

"Good, right?" He took one for himself. Taking a bite, he smiled.

"Si~! Really good... I wish Lutz would make food like this..."

"Lutz? Who is that? A friend from home?" He asked.

"Kind of. He's actually from Germania, but he travels with me everywhere."

"Germania... I've actually never heard of it." He admitted.

"I've only been there once..."

"Is it... nice?" He asked, curious if it was better than China.

"Eh... I guess so. I like home better..."

"So... not very good." He laughed, finishing up his treat.

"Nope. Of course, here is best."

"My home is quite beautiful~!" He teased, giggling.

"But not as beautiful as you~" He chuckled.

"Oh, stop it~" He poked Lucius's chest playfully.

He chuckled and snapped at the finger playfully.

Yao stuck his tongue out and crossed his arms, teasing him.

He smiled and poked his cheek.

He took Lucius's arm and pulled him close into a tight hug.

He smiled and hugged him tightly.

"I love you..." He murmured against his neck with a smile.

"I love you too..." He smiled, nuzzling into him softly.

Yao looked up at him, faces less than three inches apart. He moved his hand through Lucius's short hair, ruffling it gently with a grin.

He did the same, tangling his fingers in the dark locks.

He kissed him lightly on the lips, pressing even closer to his chest.

He smiled softly and his heart started beating rapidly. He parted his lips a smidge.

Yao felt like he would explode. He'd never experienced this much physical contact, and it was all very new to him, but he liked it a lot so for.

He let his tongue prod against the surface of the other's lips.

He trembled a bit, pulling away just a tad, and blushed.

He smiled at the other and said "You're so adorable..."

"I'm just... not used to this kind of thing..." He frowned, embarrassed.

"There's no need to be embarrassed. It's just me." He chuckled, ruffling the other's hair.

"I know... I just... ugh..." He sighed, blushing brighter. "I trust you..."

"Oh good~" He smiled and hugged him tightly. "I love you."

"I love you too..." He sighed happily, settling into his chest.

"So, is there anything in particular you want to do?"

"Hmm..." He thought for a moment. "We could... go down to the garden again, if you'd like. It's not quite dark enough yet though..."

"Then we can just wait up here until then." He said, smiling.

"It'll only take a few minutes." He smiled a child's smile, innocent and bright with a quiet laugh.

He couldn't help but smile in response. He looked astonishing in the quickly dimming light, and he wished he had some way to capture this moment.

He leaned against Lucius again, closing his eyes.

He sighed contentedly and looked out over the horizon.

"The stars are beginning to show..." Yao commented quietly, smiling.

"Ah, yeah... Hang on, I want to do something." He pulled out a folded piece of paper and a small piece of charcoal and started sketching.

"What are you doing?..." He asked, curious, and tilted his head to the side.

"Drawing something... Just so I can remember it."

"Drawing what?..." He tried to peek over Lucius's shoulder to see.

"No, don't move."

"O... kayyy..." He said slowly, and stayed completely still.

He sketched, twisting his head slightly, rubbing the paper every now and then.

"Are you drawing... m-me?" He asked, slightly surprised.

"Denique~!" He smiled cheerily, showing the finished product.

"O-oh my..." Yao brought a hand up to his face, a tear forming in his eye. "It's... b-beautiful..."

He smiled proudly and then looked down shyly. "But... You know, nothing can be more beautiful than the real you."

"Thank you so much, Lucius..." He wrapped his arms around the other's neck tightly. Pulling away, Yao gave a light kiss on his cheek and looked up at the sky. "It seems to be dark enough now."

"Do you want to go there or stay up here?"

"We can go. I like it there." He nodded.

"Okay." He stood and walked to the balcony, carefully climbing down.

He climbed down quickly after Lucius, landing soundly on the grass.

"This place _is_ beautiful."

"Yeah... it's my favorite." He smiled softly.

"Honestly, it's becoming mine." He smiled and sat beside the water, trailing his fingers in the water.

"It's growing a new reason to be my favorite though..." He admitted, blushing lightly.

He grinned softly and flicked a bit of water at the other, chuckling lowly as he did so.

Yao giggled and swatted the water away, reaching down to splash a bit in Lucius's direction.

"Hey! Don't get this breastplate dirty; I just had it made." He joked, poking Yao on the cheek. "But seriously, I did just have this made today... It's actually rather special."

"How so?" He asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Hold on; I'll take it off and you can see." He struggled to unfasten the leather that bound it but soon had it off, showing it proudly.

"Hmm... it's quite impressive. What's it made of?"

"Gold and silver, infused with the scent of peaches on the leather."

"Mm, peaches~" He smirked, smelling it already.

"Mhmm. It's also got one of those dragon things... I saw the design for it and it reminded me of something."

"Ah, dragons..." He sighed. "You know, as a child, I used to think I could see them." He laughed.

"Really? That reminds me of someone... A very dear friend of mine. She still thinks she can see magical things like that."

"That magical one you mentioned?" He smiled. "Anyway... sometimes I still have dreams about them..."

"Really? Like what?" He asked, intrigued. He'd always loved hearing the stories that the friend used to tell him.

"Just being able to see them... they're amazingly beautiful creatures..." He sighed.

"So I've heard... The closest to magic I've ever come close to was her."

"I wish I could really see one..." He stared off at the stars.

"So do I..." Though he said nothing, he had begun to think of something.

Yao looked back at him with a smile, and took a seat on the river's edge, fingers wading through the shallows.

"So, tell me about you."

Yao laughed. "Haven't I done that a few times already?"

"I just... I want to know everything about you, I can't help it..." He blushed and looked away.

"No, it's okay..." He smiled, "I get it. But... I don't know what else to say... I could answer questions, maybe?"

"Okay~!" He smiled enthusiastically. "Well, what's your favorite time of day?"

"Night, obviously..." He chuckled. "It's when I get to live, remember?~"

"True, but what about before I came around?~" He joked, pushing his shoulder playfully.

"Even then. I still came out here; it made me feel free..."

"Ah..." He smiled lightly.

"Anything else?" He smiled.

"What about your life before you were this old? When you were younger?"

"Well, I've been in my room for most of it. There are times when father allows me to go into the rest of the palace, but that's only during special occasions..."

"...Have you ever thought about running?"

"As I said before..." He sighed. "I still want to live out my destiny as the emperor one day."

"Ah, I see.."

"Yeah..." He frowned.

"What about your favorites? Just, favorite anything."

"My favorite... color... would have to be..." He thought for a moment. "Gold? No, turquoise... wait... umm..." He laughed. "I like them all."

He laughed as well and said "I see...Mine would be... scarlet."

"Why?" He asked.

"Because... It... It just... It's hard to explain, and has a very gruesome reason."

"Gruesome..." He frowned.

"Yeah... See, I only became the emperor because I fought for it. Against dozens of people. Hundreds, even."

"I see... nobility is born in this country, not proven..." He said quietly. "I can only imagine what bloodshed was had. Especially from all those power-hungry people..."

"It was... A _difficult_ time for us, especially those who survived... It was as if my previous emperor WANTED to kill us off. There were 12 year old boys in there... They could hardly pick up a sword, let alone battle a full grown man."

"That's... that's terrible!" He gasped. "Who would do that?!"

"My emperor."

"... It was a rhetorical question." He giggled.

"I've never been good at those." He mumbled, then grinning. "Ah, but... That was a thing of the past. For whatever reason, it made red become my favorite color."

"It is the color or passion, romance, and luck." He smiled.

"And blood."

"True... but I meant symbolically."

"Right, I knew that~!" He laughed, biting his lip slightly.

"Enough of the questions..." He smiled softly, not wanting to reflect on the past anymore.

"Okay..." He said, sighing.

Yao simply snuggled up close to Lucius with a content sigh.

He smiled and rested his head on the top of the other's.

"I love you..." He mumbled, blushing.

"I love you too..." He chuckled lowly, smiling. He sighed happily and inched back so he could study the other's face a bit.

He blushed, staring up at him, and blinked a few times. Closing his eyes, he let out a happy sigh and kissed him gently once more. "You know... obviously, you were my first kiss..."

"Ah, really?~ How sweet." He teased, poking Yao's cheek softly. "I wish I could say the same. But you _are_ my first love."

"Of course you were. I've never really had the chance to before this..." He smiled softly, and laughed. "But... how could I be your first love, if... you've supposedly loved others?"

"I have thought that what I felt for those people... I thought that it was love. But in the end, now that I've met you, I can see that I was wrong."

"So it's... stronger. I see..." He smiled, blushing pink.

"Exactly." He smiled, nuzzling softly into the other's neck.

Yao chuckled and pulled back, settling himself back on the ground and gazing up at the stars.

Lucius did the same, staring up at the sky. He smiled somewhat, thinking about how he wished this would never end.

Yao intertwined their fingers gently, like creamy silk upon worn leather, and leaned his head on the other's shoulder.

He held on tightly to Yao's fingers, as if afraid he was going to lose him.

Yao reached out and plucked a small peony that grew along the riverside, fingering the petals lightly. "Lucius..." He mumbled. "Don't ever leave..."

"You know I'll have to sometimes... But no matter what, I'll always return. Always." He took the peony from Yao and placed it gently behind his ear, smiling softly. The thought of leaving nearly made tears spring to his eyes.

"I... I realize that..." His voice cracked a bit, sounding tearful. "I just... I can't imagine you leaving... I couldn't handle it..."

"I will never leave you for more time than I have to. I swear it." He smiled. He turned and hugged the other tightly, biting his lip to stop it from trembling.

Yao squeezed him in a hug closely, never wanting to let go. His breath trembled, on the verge of breaking down.

"Don't cry, amare, please... I can't stand to see you cry..." He felt like he was about to sob. He loved this man too much to let this happen.

"I'm sorry..." He was shaking a bit. "I just... can't help it..."

"You shouldn't be sad when I leave; be happy in the time that we do have, be happy that I'll be coming back."

He nodded, wiping his eyes. "You're right..."

He smiled, kissing his cheek. "Don't be sad, okay?~"

"Okay, I won't..." He gave a soft smile, returning a kiss to Lucius's cheek.

"Good." He smiled and stared back up at the sky.

Closing his eyes, he focused on the sounds around him. He could hear the other's breathing, and even a faint beat of the heart. There was the tiny trickling noise of the calm river flowing by, and a small breeze ruffled the leaves around them. It was all quite... calming.

If he listened closely, he could hear the rustle of the wind, the river, the crickets. He looked up again and saw a shooting star. "Oh, look!~ Make a wish~!"

'I wish that everything would freeze... I wish for us to be alone together for all of time... nothing to separate us...' He thought silently, eyes closed, with a smile.

"I wish that nothing could tear us apart, such as his MIA status. And his parents... And my having to leave..."

He opened his eyes again. "Did you wish?"

"I did!~" He smiled enthusiastically.

"Me too... I hope it comes true..."

"So do I." He chuckled, running his fingers through his short brown hair.

"I have a feeling... we both wished for the same thing though..." He laughed.

"Then maybe it'll come true because the desire for it was stronger!~"

"I hope so!" He grinned, giggling, and leaned back, elbows on the ground.

Lucius turned and placed a hand on Yao's cheek, turning his head to press their lips together lightly.

Yao put an arm around the other's neck and held him close, kissing him gently.

The other then pressed a bit rougher, lowering the smaller man to the ground and prodded at his lips with the tip of his tongue.

Yao blushed brightly and parted his lips a bit, deciding to let him in.

Lucius smirked into the kiss, and moved his tongue softly around the other's, not wanting to scare him.

He slowly adjusted to the kiss, lips moving against lips slowly. He pulled the taller man closer, starting to breathe heavily.

He pulled away from his mouth and moved down a bit, starting to nibble softly on his neck.

Yao let out a breath and placed a hand on the back of his neck. "L-Lucius... what are you..?"

"I'm sorry... I just love you so much..." He mumbled and pulled the folds of Yao's hanfu apart a bit, leaving a small trail of kisses across his collarbone.

Yao trembled, very unsure of what was happening. He attempted to sit up, propped on his elbows, and pulled his hanfu back over his chest. "I... I just... don't k-know..."

"Please." He wasn't going to be upset if he still said no, but God knows how much he wanted this.

"It's just..." He sighed, not wanting to disappoint him. "You know that I've never..."

"I know. And... You know I'll never hurt you. Never. And if you don't want to then I understand."

He was silent for a moment and took a breath. "...I... if I don't want to continue, you'll stop, right?" He asked, somewhat curious of it himself.

"Of course." He nodded enthusiastically.

"Then... I oblige." He gave a soft smile.

"Wha..? Really?"

He gave a small nod.

"Okay..." He smiled crookedly, then pulled the hanfu down a tad.

Yao looked away blushing. He was admittedly embarrassed to be seen this way...

"You're beautiful. You know that right..?"

His head turned back to stare Lucius in the eyes. "... t-thank you..."

He smiled and began leaving a trail of kisses down his chest once more.

"N-not too fast now..." He breathed. "I'm... scared..." He admitted.

"Just tell me when to stop." He smiled.

He took a breath and nodded.

He let his tongue flick against one nipple before moving down slowly.

Yao sucked in a breath and chewed on his lip lightly at the contact, turning bright red.

"You still okay?"

"F-for now... yes..."

He leaned down and pulled the hanfu down a tad farther.

Now everything above his waistline was exposed... and he was somewhat uncomfortable, but he'd wait it out until he absolutely couldn't go any longer.

He nibbled along his waist, pausing to kiss a spot now and then.

He squeezed his eyes shut, already making his decision. No farther than this. He wasn't ready to go below the belt quite yet...

When he started to pull the robe down even farther, he stopped. "Are you okay?"

"N-no more..." He shook his head. "I can't do it..."

"Okay. Then we'll stop; it's okay." He smiled and caressed his cheek.

"T-thanks..." His cheeks were bright red, and he couldn't deny the growing problem between his legs, but he stood strong to his decision.

He chuckled and said "Of course. What kind of man would I be if I insisted though my lover said no?"

He gave a small smile and kissed his cheek.

"S-so..." He smiled, staring up at the sky once more. He lied back and laced his fingers behind his head.

"Hmm?..." He lay back as well, feeling a bit nervous still.

"Well...That was…"

"It felt... very good..." He admitted, blushing.

"Yeah..."He blushed a tad as well. He let his fingers search out Yao's and he gripped his hand tightly.

He took his hand willingly and turned on his side, facing him.

He smiled at him, chocolate eyes shining softly.

Yao closed his eyes, moving closer and cuddling into his chest.

He held him tightly and sighed happily.

"Wo ai ni, Lucius..." He mumbled into his chest.

"Ego amare tu." He smiled.

Yao gave a soft smile, and yawned.

"Tired?~" He teased, pinching his cheek softly.

"Mhmm... should we go back?..." He blinked.

"If that's what you want~!

"I'd rather do that then fall asleep and get caught in the morning..."

"True... But if you're tired I should take my leave... We can't risk getting caught."

"But I want you to stay with me..."

"I want to stay too, but we just can't risk it..."

"You stayed the other night!" He pleaded.

"I know, I know... But I just don't want to get caught..."

"You're right... I suppose..." He hung his head.

"You know that no matter what I'll come back."

"I know..." He nodded without raising his head.

"Please don't be sad..."

"I'll be fine..."

"..."

"Let's just go back..." He sighed, feeling unbelievably attached to this man at the moment.

"Alright... He stood and held out his hand.

"... c-carry me." He asked, blushing. "Please..."

"Alright." He stooped down and smiled slightly.

Yao blushed as he was lifted, and he wrapped his arms around Lucius's neck.

He chuckled a tad.

It didn't take long before they were standing under Yao's room yet again.

He sighed defeatedly and said "Well..."

He nodded. "It's time yet again... to go our separate ways for the night..." His voice was quiet.

"Yes, it is... But just know that with each passing second is a second closer to meeting once again."

"I will sleep all day if I have to... just to stay up with you..."

"Don't do anything that drastic..." He laughed quietly.

"I just might~" He stuck his tongue out, and giggled.

"So cute…" Lucius mumbled with a smile, and ran his fingers through the other's dark hair.

"Ehehe, I love you~" Yao smiled, blushing pink, and kissing Lucius's lips lightly. "You should probably go now…"

"I know…" He frowned, looking at the slowly-brightening sky. "Tonight, amare?"

"Of course!" He nodded quickly, and pulled him into a tight embrace. "Zàijiàn le…"

"Goodbye, dear…" He gave a sorrowful smile, and descended into the rest of the palace.

Lucius turned and doubled back on himself several times; maneuvering through the maze-like palace halls as he was so exhausted. He stopped and leaned back against the wall and let out a sigh.

"Lucius." A familiar male voice rang through his ears, and he quickly turned around.

"Oh, Moke!" His eyes widened surprised. "You're up early!"

"I could say the same for you…" His eyes narrowed. "You went to enjoy the garden, I presume?"

"Aha, yes!" He was hoping that his nervousness wasn't too obvious. "I wasn't able to sleep last night, and I got tired of lying around, so I went to look around again."

"I see, I see." He smiled. "Did you find anything… _interesting_?" The emperor suddenly went back to being suspicious.

"Like what?" Lucius figured playing dumb was his best bet. "I found some really pretty flowers and the like, but nothing significant!" He laughed.

Moke paused. "… good." His face brightened up. "It's still very early, perhaps you should go try and get some rest before everything gets started today."

"I was just going to do that now." He smiled and bowed, leaving Moke to his business.

'_That was too close…'_


End file.
